“We offer a very private, individualized, and special experience for every bride,’ says Terri Espy, who owns the Gown Boutique along with her daughter Krista Roach. The duo first considered the idea of launching a bridal boutique after their own disappointing dress buying experience.  “We started shopping for my wedding dress,” says Krista,” and we were disappointed by the experience.” While the two scoured several cities looking for the right combination of dress selection and customer service, they talked about what they would do differently to make dress buying a pleasant and memorable experience.

Opening a bridal boutique was the perfect balance of both mother and daughter’s respective talents. “I watched my mother run her own interior design business for about 15 years,” says Krista. “I knew I wanted to do something creative, but I was never quite sure how it would take shape.”

Krista, a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, drew upon both her own retail experience and time spent with Linda Heras, publicist for Madrid fashion designer Roberto Verino, to craft a successful business plan. Working with Heras taught Krista about the effort it takes to launch a collection, insight that comes in handy when working with the boutique’s bridal designers. After working in various retail operations for five years, she knew the ins and outs of running a store, and parlayed her own dress-buying experience into the boutique’s approach to customizing gowns.

Together, the mother and daughter team bring years of business acumen, exacting standards of service, intimate knowledge of fashion and fabrics, and passion for weddings that forges bonds with brides and mothers of the bride that extend beyond the gown purchase.